We chose the Herbert Glacier trail. An easy hike from the road, this trail follows the Herbert River 4.9 miles back to the Herbert Glacier. The hike itself is quite easy, but being able to see the stages of glacial succession (which plants move in when, after a glacier retreats from an area) in reverse was really neat. There was also a gold mine near the river in the past and some ruins are still present.
The trail took up through old growth Sitka Spruce and Hemlock with an understory mostly made up of Devil's Club. Then we passed into an area that was almost completely blueberry bushes beneath smaller pines. Then into even smaller pines with just moss and a few small shrubs. Eventually, we reached a place that was all tall aspens, before crossing into small shrub-like aspens and then onto rocks with just moss.
When we got to the end of the trail, we were still probably a mile from the glacier and wanted to get a bit of a better view, so we crossed parts of the aluvial fan (which is where I get my boot soaked) before pushing through all sorts of alders and other bushes and scrambling up some really big boulders to get the best view we could.
All in all, it was a beautiful hike, a really fun day spent with a friend, and a beautiful view of the Herbert glacier! Only thing I'd change? I'd bring bug spray... boy, those mosquitoes are BIG!!!!
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| Herbert River |
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| Bunchberries - aka Dwarf Dogwood |
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| Outflow from the glacier was huge! |
